Everybody (Backstreet's Back)

Infobox Single
Name = Everybody (Backstreet's Back)


Caption = International CD single part 1 cover
Artist = Backstreet Boys
from Album = Backstreet's Back
Released = August 5, 1997flagicon|Europe
March 31, 1998flagicon|US
Format = CD single
Recorded = 1997
Genre = Pop/dance
Length = 4:48
Label = Jive
Writer = Denniz PoP
Max Martin
Producer = Denniz PoP
Max Martin
Misc = Extra chronology 2
Artist = Backstreet Boys int'l singles
Type = single
Last single = "Anywhere for You" (1997)
This single = "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (1997)
Next single = "As Long As You Love Me" (1997) Extra chronology 2
Artist = Backstreet Boys US singles
Type = single
Last single = "As Long As You Love Me"
(1997)
This single = "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)"
(1998)
Next single = "I'll Never Break Your Heart"
(1998)

"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" is the first single from the Backstreet Boys' second international album "Backstreet's Back" in 1997, and their debut US album in 1998. The US debut was originally released without the song, which references the band's return via their sophomore international album. However, once it was decided to release the single in the US, the album was re-released with "Everybody" included.

Zomba chairman Clive Calder suggested the song as a single, but Jive president Barry Weiss thought it would be weird to have a song called "Backstreet's Back" on the band's first US album. The band suggested it could just mean that they were back home. After Canadian markets began playing the song, US markets near the border began picking the song up. The band met with Weiss and asked that the song be added to the US album after the first million units had already been produced.Interview with Backstreet Boys, management, and others from "Entertainment Weekly" 10th Anniversary Issue.]

Written by Max Martin and Denniz PoP, "Everybody" is one of the Backstreet Boys' most successful singles to date, reaching #4 in the US Billboard Hot 100, running 22 weeks, and #3 in the UK Singles Chart [http://www.backstreetparadise.com/charts.html] . It is certified platinum in the United States with 2.1 million sales.

There are two versions of the song. The international album features the Album or 7" Version, which is the standard recording. The two cuts of the music video released in the two markets each utilize the cut released in that market.

Track listing

US CD3
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Radio Edit)
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Matty's Radio Mix)

US CD5
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Matty's Radio Mix)
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Multiman Remix)
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Sharp London Vocal Remix)
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Radio Edit)
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Extended Version)

Europe
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (7" Version) - 3:44
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Extended Version) - 4:45
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Multiman Remix) - 4:09
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Matty's Remix) - 3:55
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Max & Macario Club Mix) - 6:12

Canada
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (7" Version)
#"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Extended Version)
#"Anywhere for You"
#"Boys Will Be Boys"

US commercial vinyl
# "Everybody" (Extended Radio Mix)
# "Everybody" (Matty's Hip Hop Radio Remix)
# "Everybody" (Kano's Undercurrent Dub)
# "Everybody" (Sharp London Vocal Remix)
# "Everybody" (Sharp Trade Dub)

Remixes double vinyl
# "Everybody" (Sharp London Vocal Remix) - 7:58
# "Everybody" (Sharp Beats) - 4:26
# "Everybody" (Extended Radio Mix) - 4:45
# "Everybody" (Matty's Hip Hop Radio Remix) - 3:55
# "Everybody" (Kano's Undercurrent Dub) - 7:11
# "Everybody" (Matty's Club Mix) - 6:39
# "Everybody" (Sharp Trade Dub) - 6:55
# "Everybody" (Sharp London Dub) - 7:25

Music video

The Joseph Kahn-directed music video for "Everybody" plays as a parody of the horror film genre in the same light as Michael Jackson's "Thriller". It was filmed in June 1997 in Los Angeles, California.

The concept of the video came from the band itself. ["Backstreet Boys: All Access".] The label did not get behind the concept of the band in costumes or the large budget requirements, and did not believe MTV would respect the video. The band ultimately had to put up its own money to shoot the video and had to fight with the label to get reimbursed once it was successful.

The video ranked at #76 of "MuchMusic's 100 Best Videos."

The Backstreet Boys also performed this song at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards.

tructure

The video is bookended by scenes framing the context of the video: When their bus breaks down, the band's driver, played by Antonio Fargas, insists that the group spend a night at a nearby haunted house while he gets help. The musical portion of the video plays as a dream sequence in which each band members appears as a different movie monster: Brian as a werewolf; Howie as Dracula; Nick as a mummy; A.J. as Erik, the Phantom of the Opera; and Kevin as Two-Face-like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

The Boys, as monsters, mainly appear in their own individual vignettes related to their character, while the band as a group appear in the foyer of the house dressed in centuries-old clothing, performing a dance routine with a group of additional dancers. Supermodel Josie Maran appeared as Howie's companion in his vignette.

Following the song, the band members meet up one-by-one in the morning and realize that they have all had the same dream, when they are suddenly startled to find their driver standing at the front door appearing as a monster.

There are two cuts of the video; one for the US market, and one for the international market, each of which features the edit of the song released on the album for that market. The international video cuts from the opening bookend to the first verse. The bridge of the song is intact and the first half of the dance routine, a ballroom dance portion, is intercut with the vignettes under it. This leads into the second half of the dance portion during the final choruses of the song which are not intercut with the vignettes. In the US cut, the ballroom half of the dance routine and the beginning of the second half are used at the start of the song during the first rhythm-only breakdown, and is not intercut with the vignettes. The second breakdown, which replaces the bridge, is accompanied only by shots from the vignettes, along with some shots of Brian's wolfman character doing some tumbling moves in the foyer and in the various vignettes. When the final choruses begin, the second half of the dance routine is shown again from the start, but is intercut with vignette scenes. Most of the remainder of the video is cut identically, other than several minor instances of alternate scenes or takes being used.

Chart performance

References